diff --git a/src/server/actors/repo/mod.rs b/src/server/actors/repo/mod.rs
index 202a04f..4656fea 100644
--- a/src/server/actors/repo/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/actors/repo/mod.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use tracing::{debug, info, warn, Instrument};
 use crate::server::{
     actors::repo::webhook::WebhookAuth,
     config::{RepoConfig, RepoDetails, Webhook},
-    gitforge,
+    gitforge::{self, Repository},
     types::{MessageToken, ServerGeneration},
 };
 
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub struct RepoActor {
     last_main_commit: Option<gitforge::Commit>,
     last_next_commit: Option<gitforge::Commit>,
     last_dev_commit: Option<gitforge::Commit>,
+    repository: Option<Repository>,
     net: Network,
     forge: gitforge::Forge,
 }
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ impl RepoActor {
             last_main_commit: None,
             last_next_commit: None,
             last_dev_commit: None,
+            repository: None,
             net,
             forge,
         }
@@ -100,7 +102,8 @@ impl Handler<CloneRepo> for RepoActor {
         info!("Message Received");
         let gitdir = self.details.gitdir.clone();
         match self.forge.repo_clone(gitdir) {
-            Ok(_) => {
+            Ok(repository) => {
+                self.repository.replace(repository);
                 if self.details.repo_config.is_none() {
                     ctx.address().do_send(LoadConfigFromRepo);
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/errors.rs b/src/server/gitforge/errors.rs
index de7064f..3eadea0 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/errors.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/errors.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ pub enum RepoCloneError {
     Spawn(std::io::Error),
     Validation(String),
     GixClone(Box<gix::clone::Error>),
+    GixOpen(Box<gix::open::Error>),
     GixFetch(Box<gix::clone::fetch::Error>),
 }
 impl std::error::Error for RepoCloneError {}
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for RepoCloneError {
             Self::Spawn(err) => write!(f, "Spawning comming: {:?}", err),
             Self::Validation(err) => write!(f, "Validation: {}", err),
             Self::GixClone(err) => write!(f, "Clone: {:?}", err),
+            Self::GixOpen(err) => write!(f, "Open: {:?}", err),
             Self::GixFetch(err) => write!(f, "Fetch: {:?}", err),
         }
     }
@@ -69,6 +71,11 @@ impl From<gix::clone::Error> for RepoCloneError {
         Self::GixClone(Box::new(value))
     }
 }
+impl From<gix::open::Error> for RepoCloneError {
+    fn from(value: gix::open::Error) -> Self {
+        Self::GixOpen(Box::new(value))
+    }
+}
 impl From<gix::clone::fetch::Error> for RepoCloneError {
     fn from(value: gix::clone::fetch::Error) -> Self {
         Self::GixFetch(Box::new(value))
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/mod.rs b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/mod.rs
index cacfcbf..983f841 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/mod.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use crate::server::{
     actors::repo::{RepoActor, StartMonitoring, ValidateRepo},
     config::{BranchName, GitDir, RepoConfig, RepoDetails},
     git,
-    gitforge::{self, forgejo::branch::ValidatedPositions, RepoCloneError},
+    gitforge::{self, forgejo::branch::ValidatedPositions, RepoCloneError, Repository},
     types::{GitRef, MessageToken},
 };
 
@@ -128,16 +128,19 @@ impl super::ForgeLike for ForgeJoEnv {
         }
     }
 
-    fn repo_clone(&self, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<(), RepoCloneError> {
-        if !gitdir.exists() {
+    fn repo_clone(&self, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<Repository, RepoCloneError> {
+        let repo = if !gitdir.exists() {
             info!("Local copy not found - cloning...");
-            repo::clone(&self.repo_details, gitdir.clone())?;
-        }
+            repo::clone(&self.repo_details, gitdir.clone())?
+        } else {
+            repo::open(gitdir.clone())?
+        };
         info!("Validating...");
         gitdir
             .validate(&self.repo_details)
             .map_err(|e| RepoCloneError::Validation(e.to_string()))
-            .inspect(|_| info!("Validation - OK"))
+            .inspect(|_| info!("Validation - OK"))?;
+        Ok(repo)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/clone.rs b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/clone.rs
index 6309e50..7ea1dc2 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/clone.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/clone.rs
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ use tracing::info;
 
 use crate::server::{
     config::{GitDir, RepoDetails},
-    gitforge::RepoCloneError,
+    gitforge::{RepoCloneError, Repository},
 };
 
 #[tracing::instrument(skip_all)]
-pub fn clone(repo_details: &RepoDetails, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<(), RepoCloneError> {
+pub fn clone(repo_details: &RepoDetails, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<Repository, RepoCloneError> {
     use secrecy::ExposeSecret;
     let origin = repo_details.origin();
-    let (_repository, _outcome) =
+    let (repository, _outcome) =
         gix::prepare_clone_bare(origin.expose_secret().as_str(), gitdir.deref())?
             .fetch_only(gix::progress::Discard, &AtomicBool::new(false))?;
     info!("Cloned - OK");
 
-    Ok(()) // TODO: (#69) return Repository inside a newtype to store in the RepoActor for reuse else where
+    Ok(repository.into_sync().into())
 }
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/mod.rs b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/mod.rs
index bb5a180..df614ba 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 mod clone;
+mod open;
 
 pub use clone::clone;
+pub use open::open;
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/open.rs b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/open.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2235bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/forgejo/repo/open.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+use crate::server::{
+    config::GitDir,
+    gitforge::{RepoCloneError, Repository},
+};
+
+pub fn open(gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<Repository, RepoCloneError> {
+    Ok(gix::open(gitdir)?.into_sync().into())
+}
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/mock_forge.rs b/src/server/gitforge/mock_forge.rs
index d44f1e3..0003322 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/mock_forge.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/mock_forge.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::server::{
     actors::repo::RepoActor,
     config::{BranchName, GitDir, RepoConfig},
-    gitforge::{self, RepoCloneError},
+    gitforge::{self, RepoCloneError, Repository},
     types::{GitRef, MessageToken},
 };
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl super::ForgeLike for MockForgeEnv {
         todo!()
     }
 
-    fn repo_clone(&self, _gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<(), RepoCloneError> {
+    fn repo_clone(&self, _gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<Repository, RepoCloneError> {
         todo!()
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/mod.rs b/src/server/gitforge/mod.rs
index ba5136d..ad9b9fb 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/mod.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ pub trait ForgeLike {
     async fn commit_status(&self, commit: &Commit) -> CommitStatus;
 
     /// Clones a repo to disk.
-    fn repo_clone(&self, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<(), RepoCloneError>;
+    fn repo_clone(&self, gitdir: GitDir) -> Result<Repository, RepoCloneError>;
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
diff --git a/src/server/gitforge/types.rs b/src/server/gitforge/types.rs
index 407a020..9d4c3f7 100644
--- a/src/server/gitforge/types.rs
+++ b/src/server/gitforge/types.rs
@@ -96,3 +96,6 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Message {
         write!(f, "{}", self.0)
     }
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, derive_more::From)]
+pub struct Repository(gix::ThreadSafeRepository);